Apparatus for cleaning blackboard erasers



Nov. 3, 1931. D. oRElLLY ET AL 1,830,129

AEPARATUS FOR CLEANING BLACKBOARD ERASERS original Filed Feb. 19. 192e 2 sneets-snam 1 Inventors Nov. 3, 1931. D. OREILLY E1- AL 1,830,129

APPARATUS F'OR CLEANING BLACKBOARD ERASERS Original Filed Feb. 19. 1929 2 Sheets-Shea'. 2

Inventors Zan 6l O'ezjll] rfosgvh Ho we A brney Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CLEAN ING BLAGKBOARD ERASERS Application filed February 19, 1929, Serial No.. 341,133. Renewed September 23, 1931.

The present invention relates to an 'apparatus for cleaning blackboard erasersand has for its prime object toprovide an apparatus of this nature whereby the chalk dust may be efficiently cleaned from f erasers without creating dust in the air.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of this nature which is sanitary, strong 0 and durable, simple in its construction, reliable inits operation, compact and convenient in its arrangement of parts, and otherwise well adapted tothe purpose for which it is designed.

lith the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be here- 20 inafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the drawings: i

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is another top plan view showing 25 the cover open,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the apparatus.

Figure Ll is an enlarged detail vertical section taken at one end of the apparatus, showing the manner in which the bag is held in place.

Figure 5 is a detail View showing the cover controlled switch.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that we provide a casing preferably formed of sheet metal to include a bottom 5, ends 6 and 7, and sides 8 and 9. The walls 6, 7 and 8 are imperforate whileV the wall 9 is perforated. A drawer housing 10 is constructed in the casing on the bottom 5 ext-end ing inwardly from the wall 7 and a drawer 11 is slidable therein being inserted through an opening in the bottom of the wall 7.

A tube 12 rises from the housing 10 and has 45 a pivotally mounted plate valve 111 mounted therein being pivoted off center as at 15 intermediate its ends and having a weight 16 to normally hold the same in a closed position against a stop 17. Thus when a predetermined weight is disposed on top of the valve supported by a suitable bracket 23 on a block 2d resting on the bottom 5.

An inlet elbow 25 is directed upwardly from the fan 21 and has connected thereto a funnel 26r tapering upwardly and merging into the center of trough 27 formed in a panel 28. This trough 27 is of elongated construction being deepest at its center where it merges into the funnel 26 and radually growing shallower toward its enc s. This panel is-provided at its edges with a downturnedwall 30 merging into an inturned flange 31 for restingl on inwardly directed flange 32 merging from the top edges of vthe walls 4of the casing.

A `bag'of fabric or'the like 33 is held in place by the panel 28 between walls 30 and flanges 31 holding the portions of the bag against or on flange 32. An opening in the bottom of the `bag receives the upper end of the tube 12 and is anchored thereon by suitable means 34. The outlet branch of the fan 21'has a fabric tube 36 leading therefrom and communicating with the bag 33.

i The motor 20 is controlled by a push button switch 40 in the panel 28. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings, the switch 40 includes a pair of resilient contact arms A and B rigidly secured to the panel 2S and depending therefrom and to which the conductor wires C and D are respectively connected. The wire C is from a. suitable source of electric current supply and thewire D goesto the motor 20. A spring controlled headedrod E is mounted for reciprocation through the panel 28 and has a wedge-shaped end portion F on its lower end adapted to be forced between the contacting ends of the arms A and 'B in a manner to spread same and break the electric circuitto the motor 20. A cover 4:1 is hinged;

lili) of dust to be ly mounted as at 42 to the upper edge of the perforated wall 9 and when closed is adapted to engage the rod E of the switch 40 and force the element F between arms A and B for holding the switch open with the motor oit'. TWhen the cover is open, the spring withdraws the wedge F from between the arms A and B and the switch is closed and the motor 20 is energized.

A stop or rest bracket 43 is mounted on the top or lid 4l and is adapted to project through a slot et provided in the panel E28 to abut the iiange 32 thereby preventing` injury to the push button switch.

From the above detailed description, it will be seen that when the lid or cover is open the fan 2l is in operation so that erasers may be run to and fro in the trough runwatv 27 in a manner to cause the particles loosened from the erasers and to be sucked into the funnel 26, passed through the fan and deposited in the bag 33 through which the air will escape and finally escape through the perforations of the Wall 9.

Tf'lhen a predetermined amount of the chalk dust has settled on the trap or plate valve 14 the saine will tiit to deposit said dust in the drawer l1. Obviousv this drawer ll should be emptied at certain periods depending, of course, upon how frequently the apparatus is used.

lt is thought that the construction, utilit7 and advantages have been disclosed in considerable detail merelj,7 for the purposes of exemplilication since in actual practice it attains the features enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

lt wilt be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted. to without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as hereinafter clainr ed or sacrificing an),7 of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

l. An apparatus of the class described including casing, a motor operated suction fan in the casing, a funnel connected with the inlet thereof, a panel in the casing and having a trough therein with which the fun- 1 connected, a bag connected with the exhaust of the suction fan. means for supporting the bag in the casing, a housing in the casing a drawer slidable in the housing, a tube rising from the housing, said bag being connected with said tube, a trap valve in the tube to be tripped when a predetermined amount of chalk has been deposited thereon.

2. An apparatus of the class described including a casing, motor operated suction fan in the casing, a funnel connected with the inlet thereof, a panel in the casing and having a trough therein with which the fune nel is connected, a bag connected with the exhaust of the suction fan, means for supporting the bag in the casing, a housing 1n the casing, a drawer slidable in the housing, a tube rising from the housing, said bag being connected with said tube, a trap valve in the tube to be tripped when a predetermined amount of chalk has been deposited thereon, a cover hingedly mounted on the casing, a push button switch for controlling the motor of the fan and mounted in the panel to be actuated to a circuit opening position when the cover is closed.

3. An apparatus of the class described in* cluding a casing, a motor operated suction fan in the casing, a funnel connected with the inlet thereof, a panel in the casing and having a trough therein with which the funnel connected., a bag connected with the exhaust of the suction fan, means for supporting the bag in the casing, a housing in the casing, a drawer slidable in the housing, a tube rising from the housing, said bag being connected with said tube, a trap valve in the tube to be tripped when a predetermined amount of chalk has been deposited thereon, a cover hingedly mounted on the casing, a push button switch for controlling the motor of the fan and mounted in the panel to be actuated to a circuit opening position when the cover is closed, one wall of the casing being perforated.

En testimony whereof we atiix our signatures.

DANIEL OREILLY. JOSEPH HOWE. 

